by Ryan Kirk
The next morning, they mounted up and pushed forward. Brandt silently wished the soldiers well. They deserved a better commander, but there was nothing he could do for them at the moment.
The tension in Brandt’s shoulders grew as they passed the border and began climbing the foothills.
Though they seemed alone, Brandt suspected there were already Falari eyes upon them. The Falari guarded their border every bit as zealously as the empire guarded its own. They made no overt attempt at stealth, by Regar’s command. Brandt only hoped the prince knew the risk of his actions.
A day later they climbed through a mountain pass, following a well-established trail. Every sense Brandt possessed searched the world for evidence of ambush.
He didn’t notice anything specific, but the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He trusted the instinct and ordered a halt.
Dozens of heartbeats passed. Brandt searched the mountain, both up and down the slope, for signs of hidden warriors. He sniffed the air as the cool mountain wind blew through his short hair.
There.
A hint of movement, far up the mountain. Brandt looked, watching a single arrow arc into the sky. At first glance, the angle and distance seemed impossible, but the Falari trained such shots. As the arrow plummeted straight at him Brandt lost sight of it.
He called on the air. Though it was the weakest of his elemental affinities, he was strong enough to deflect a single shaft. He forced the wind to blow faster over his head, a small gale that threw the arrow off course. To ensure his safety, he backed his horse up two steps.
The arrow clattered to the path in front of him.
Regar took command. “On me!”
Brandt almost countermanded the order. Bunching up on the trail provided easy pickings for the Falari. Then he turned around and saw Regar’s confidence. Against his better judgment, he followed Regar’s orders.
Brandt kicked his horse forward, joining the rest of the entourage.
Up the mountain, Brandt caught sight of more movement. Dozens of arrows launched into the air.
Brandt cursed and almost ordered them to break apart, but Regar sat tall on his horse. “Stay calm,” he said.
Then he closed his eyes and the wind picked up around them.
On his own, Brandt had managed to create a small gust, just strong enough to deflect the arrow a few paces.
Regar’s technique was something else entirely. Brandt heard the high notes of the wind, his own affinity informing him that the air surrounding them had become a maelstrom. The air picked up stone and dust, obscuring his vision.
The incoming arrows got caught, joining the stones as they spun around the group. With a breath, Regar released his technique, sending stone and shaft harmlessly to the ground.
Brandt looked up, curious how the Falari would respond. The Falari disliked affinities and refused to make use of them. Would they push and try to tire Regar? Or would they attempt a different attack? The Falari were no less dangerous for their lack of affinities, even if they’d never come across one as strong.
And how had Regar done that? Brandt knew the man was strong, but such power was beyond human. Moving that much air that quickly was beyond the cost a mortal could bear. Regar barely looked perturbed.
That question would wait. For now, they needed safety. He addressed Regar. “We should separate into groups of two or three and leave the path. It will make us harder to ambush.”
Regar shook his head. “The threat has passed. We will continue.”
“It’s too risky.”
Regar smiled, as though addressing a child. “To the contrary, now that we have shown them our strength, it is the safest decision we can make.”
Trust and reason warred within Brandt.
Ultimately, his obedience won out. The emperor had given this task to Regar for a reason. Any answers he desired were ahead of them. “Very well.”
“Keep a sharp eye, Brandt. I do not believe they will attack again, but caution is well warranted.”
Brandt nodded and retook his place at the head of the column.
They continued up the path, but two bends later, they came upon a clearing filled with Falari.
Brandt almost drew his sword, but held off. The Falari stood in two lines. Archers had arrows nocked but their bowstrings were loose. Behind them stood another line of warriors carrying all manner of bladed implements. Behind them all stood a single man wearing robes Brandt recognized as belonging to a warleader.
The other guards pulled up in a line. Then Regar rode around the bend and saw the formation blocking their path. He nodded to himself, as though he’d expected nothing different. He dismounted and pushed his way through his line of guards.
Regar paused next to Brandt, the pair of them slightly ahead of the rest of the line.
The Falari ranks broke for their warleader to step through. “You are recognized, prince. Many years have passed since you last visited our lands.”
The warrior’s imperial was difficult for Brandt to understand. But Regar had no such problems. He offered a bow to the warleader. “We seek audience with the council.”
The line of Falari warriors chuckled among themselves. The warleader’s grin was wide. “You know what you ask?”
“I do.”
“You are not worthy.”
“In my captivity I defeated Lozen at the board. I defeated Makun in the ring. And I defeated Isha with the blade. I am worthy enough.”
Brandt didn’t understand what Regar spoke of, but the gathered Falari seemed suitably impressed. Even the warleader’s grin had vanished. Now he studied Regar. A long moment passed. “Pass one trial and be welcomed. Pass three and I shall escort you to the council to make your plea. But even then, I will not promise a return journey.”
“It is understood,” Regar said, a hint of solemnity in his voice.
“The ring, then.”
Regar nodded and turned to Brandt. “It’s a grappling match.”
Brandt dismounted. “I’ll make short work of any opponent, sir.”
Regar laughed. “I was the one who asked to speak to the council. It is I who will be tested.”
Brandt made to protest, but Regar held up a hand. “This is the way of it. Order the guards to form half a ring. The Falari will complete the other half. And no matter what happens, no one must interfere.”
With that, Regar stepped forward. Apparently the warleader was not under a personal obligation to meet Regar’s challenge, as he selected a larger man as Regar’s challenger. Brandt tore his eyes away from the scene and ordered the guards to form their circle.
It took some time, but eventually the ring was set. While the perimeter formed, Regar moved through a complex warm-up, loosening the muscles from long days of riding.
Brandt worried. In their own sparring, Regar had been less skilled than Brandt. He was still superior to most fighters, but the challenge he faced wasn’t small. Literally and figuratively.
He saw no other option but to play along. Not only was their small expedition outnumbered, but they had the care of the prince. The only successful fight was one they won and kept the prince alive through.
No small feat when a group of archers waited for the slightest provocation to leash a deadly volley of arrows.
The match began without preamble. The two fighters circled one another, the distance between them slowly closing.
The Falari warrior seized the initiative, stepping in and attempting to throw Regar. Regar slipped the man’s grip. He tried to throw the warrior, but the Falari seemed rooted to the stone underfoot.
Brandt observed with a critical eye. From the initial exchange Regar appeared to be the superior grappler. But his opponent’s size and strength would prove a challenge.
The next exchange went poorly for Regar. The prince attempted to take the offensive, but the Falari was quick enough to muscle through a counter. He seized Regar before the prince could escape. The hold wasn’t secure, but it lasted long enough for the Fal
ari to throw Regar bodily to the ground.
The prince took the impact and rose to his feet, a smile playing across his lips.
Ana’s hand on Brandt’s arm stopped him. He looked down and saw he’d taken a step into the ring. She pulled him back.
The next moments became Brandt’s personal nightmare. He was forced to watch, unable to take any action that would influence the outcome.
It felt like he was trapped in the dreamscape again.
He clenched his fist and forced himself to remain still.
When the Falari warrior made a mistake, Regar didn’t let him recover. The fight had gone to the ground, and the Falari relied on strength instead of positioning to hold Regar down.
Like an eel, Regar slid around, managing to wrap his legs around the Falari’s arm. With both hands on the Falari’s captured wrist he pulled, extending the elbow further than it was meant to travel.
The Falari bellowed something and Regar released the hold.
The two combatants broke apart.
And just like that, it was over.
The commander of the Falari smiled. “Well fought, prince. Come, we shall escort you to our town. There you can meet the other two challenges.”
Regar grinned from ear to ear. He looked to be the happiest that Brandt had ever seen. His joy contrasted strongly with Brandt’s misery.
“Lead us on, then,” the prince said.
16
The next morning Alena prepared to return to the gate. Overnight the gate’s power faded twice more. Though she hadn’t been using her gatestone during either attempt, she felt the loss in her bones. Now she understood why so few remained in Cardon. Closer to the gate, the effect was more pronounced. Though each incident only lasted a few heartbeats, it felt like an absence long afterward.
She and Jace broke their fast in silence. Alena’s thoughts focused on the gate and approaches she might try to restore it. Jace’s, she suspected, were focused on protecting his older sister from a threat he couldn’t fight.
Visitors arrived just as they finished their meal. Sooni and Dunne brought a young man with them. He appeared to be about Alena’s age. He possessed the wiry build so common among the nomadic clans, forged by a lifetime of endless travel.
But Alena found herself drawn to his eyes.
They were dark brown, but his gaze seemed to take in everything at once. He projected a presence Alena felt across the tent.
Sooni provided the introductions. “This is Toren. He’s not a member of our clan, but he will assist you in your task.”
“Assist me?” Alena couldn’t imagine how. This was soulwork, and there were no soulwalkers among the Etari. Or at least, so she had thought.
“Toren has shown some skill in soulwork, or at least he claims as much.”
Alena understood. “You want me to train him.”
Yes, Sooni signed.
The whole situation grated on her. Had her powers been discovered in her time here, she suspected her welcome would have been rescinded. But now that the Etari needed soulwalkers, they wanted her to train one.
She understood. Necessity often forced change.
But she didn’t like it, and Dunne didn’t either. She looked as though someone had made her sit on a needle.
Alena knew the answer, but the question escaped her lips anyway. “Why train him, if his skills will be considered a curse among his family?”
Dunne answered. “The ability to influence another’s spirit is a crime against nature. And it was soulwalkers that destroyed our gate many generations ago. But—”
“But now you need us.”
“We do,” Dunne acknowledged. “And maybe Toren can prove us wrong. But don’t confuse our necessity with our acceptance.”
“What?” Alena wasn’t sure she’d heard correctly.
Dunne didn’t back down from her statement. “Our people need your skill, and you have already earned our gratitude. But that does not mean soulwalking belongs among our people. Toren knows what he risks by undertaking this task.”
With that, Dunne turned and left, leaving a cold silence in her wake.
Sooni, for once, seemed at a loss for words. After a few moments, she tried. “Alena—”
No, Alena gestured. She took a deep breath and looked over at Jace. Two years ago, in desperation, she learned how easy it would be to destroy her brother’s spirit. Brandt had suffered some of the same. Dunne’s outburst sharpened those memories, making them fresh in her thoughts. “She’s right. Soulwalking isn’t natural.” She took a long breath. “But the affinity exists, so it must be mastered.”
Alena studied Toren. “And what about you? Why go through with this?”
Toren’s face was almost impassive, but she thought she caught a hint of respect in his voice. “Because soulwalking exists, and it must be mastered.”
Alena looked at the Etari, wondering if he was respecting her or mocking her. She truly couldn’t decide.
Jace chuckled. “I like him.”
“The grounds around the gate have been cleared today,” Sooni announced. “Is there anything you require?”
Alena thought for a moment, then signed the negative. She didn’t know what to expect.
“If there is anything, I’ll be close all day,” Sooni said. Then she left.
Curious, Alena dropped into a soulwalk. The lines leading to and from Toren did seem to glow with a more vivid brightness. He hadn’t lied about his affinity, then.
Together the three of them made their way to the center tent. Their passage was uncontested, although no small number of guards surrounded the area. As Sooni promised, the tent itself was unoccupied.
Alena pointed her question at Toren. “What do you sense?”
“The gate is alive. I feel its presence.”
An interesting observation. Alena wasn’t sure she agreed on the gate being alive, but she wouldn’t discount the possibility. She didn’t know what to expect on this soulwalk.
Precautions came first. She turned to Jace, who nodded. They’d discussed this the night before. Alena didn’t like relying on the technique, but she wasn’t aware of any other methods of staying safe in strange waters.
With the gate’s proximity strengthening her abilities, it didn’t take her long to bind her spirit to her brother’s. Once again he served as her anchor.
Then it was back to Toren. “I’ve never trained anyone. I’m still learning much of this for myself.”
“I understand.”
“Close your eyes. Remain calm.”
Alena dropped into her soulwalk, forcing herself not to look at the gate yet. That moment would come soon enough, but for now she felt it as a pulsing beacon behind her. Instead she approached Toren, creating a shared world for them. They both appeared in her mother’s kitchen back in Landow. “Open your eyes.”
He obeyed and stared in wonder. “Where are we?”
“A memory, perhaps? A world that I’ve shaped, a place that I’m comfortable with.”
Toren held out his hands and looked at them. He pinched himself.
“It’s real,” explained Alena, “but also not. Your physical body is still in the tent. Here, imagination and will shape reality. You try it. Imagine a place for us.”
She felt his power, tiny compared to her own, but she allowed it to overwhelm hers. She blinked and found herself on a hill overlooking an endless expanse of water. The view took her breath away. She’d never been to the sea before. Never would she have guessed how vast it was.
“This was the first time I saw it,” Toren said. “All my life I’d known nothing but endless stretches of grassland. When I saw this, I knew just how small my world was.” He looked over at her. “A little like now.”
“Thank you for showing me this. I’ve never been.”
She asserted her will, returning them to her mother’s kitchen.
A string appeared in her hands. “This will help the two of us stay connected. I wish I knew a better way to train you, but hopefully th
is will allow you to sense what I do. But the connection runs both ways. I will feel your emotions as well. Are you comfortable with that?”
Toren looked uncertain, but he nodded. Alena wondered what motivated him. Orders from his elders? Curiosity? Whatever pushed him, she envied his courage. In a similar situation, she wasn’t sure she could summon such trust of a stranger.
She tied the string to his wrist and to her own. As soon as the knots were formed she felt the connection between them grow stronger. “Do you feel it?”
Yes, he signed.
She pushed them out of their soulwalk, back into the world of flesh and bone. Toren blinked, regaining his bearings.
“You connected yourself to him,” Jace observed.
“I didn’t think you’d be able to feel that.”
“It’s slight, but he’s there.”
Toren looked up at the two of them. He frowned, puzzling something out. When he spoke, he was hesitant. “I feel both of your spirits.”
Alena hadn’t considered that, but a glance at Jace revealed he didn’t mind.
Toren continued. “I can feel your love for your sister.”
Alena’s eyes widened. That was a problem she hadn’t considered. But it made sense. Toren picked up on Jace’s emotion through her. She wondered if Brandt, hundreds of leagues away, now suddenly felt a deep unintended affection for her.
She hoped not.
Dunne’s angry words came back to her. For all she’d learned, Alena still knew nothing about this power. Her continued meddling, even with the best of intentions, didn’t come without risk.
There was nothing for it, now. She needed to examine the gate and she didn’t dare do anything that dealt with the Lolani queen without Jace’s connection. So that was that.
They turned to the gate and Alena stepped forward. Her curiosity pulled her ever closer to the exposed fragment, but fear slowed her steps and made her heart beat like a drum. The forces balanced when she was two paces away. She couldn’t bring herself to step any closer.
Toren stood several paces away. This close to the gate Alena could almost see the connection between them with her eyes open.